The Heart of a Rogue
by Hollybranch
Summary: Hollypaw was born rogue and no matter how hard she tries no cat can forget that. As the young she cat struggles against bitter enemies and a new love some cats begin to realize that blood doesn't matter... when they are about to be slaughtered.
1. Prologue

The Heart of a Rogue Prologue 

The stars of Silverpelt glittered coldly above in the midnight sky, while the moon shed it's unearthly glow, turning everything to silver. The only sound was the quiet lap of water at the lake's shore.

A silvery-white she-cat padded onward, her head down. Three kittens followed her, mewling their hunger and cold out loud. The queen turned her head, blue eyes blazing as she snapped for quiet.

Her gaze softened after a moment and she let out a quiet mew of comfort. "We'll find shelter soon, my darlings. And everything will be al—"

She was cut short by a terrible snarling and the slash of sharpened claws against her back. Eyes glazing with horror she whipped around to see a dark tabby standing over her kits, his misty blue eyes glaring with rage.

He bent down to pick the smallest one up—a small dark gray tom with his cruel jaws.

"No!"

The rogue she-cat lunged forward, claws unsheathed as she clawed desperately at his flank. His only answer was to bite down hard on the kit's neck, making it squeal with pain before it fell deathly silent.

Dropping the limp gray body he opened his jaws in a furious yowl, fangs glistening in the moonlight he dived for the silver cat's throat. His teeth found his mark and it was over before the she-cat could do anything.

"Never cross WindClan territory again." He hissed as he dropped her into the snow, leaving her two remaining kits to mewl pitifully as their mother's body grew colder and colder.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 

Birchpaw stretched in the dazzling afternoon sunlight, her blue eyes gleaming with excitement. Today would finally be the day! She was to become a warrior!

Her brother Darkpaw was watching her through narrowed eyes outside the Apprentices den. Birchpaw stopped and stared at him but the black tom just turned away from her.

She rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "Aren't you the _least_ bit excited?"

Darkpaw twitched his ears but didn't reply and a new voice sounded beside her ear, clear and soft.

"Don't worry about your brother, Birchpaw." The white tabby glanced up to see her mother, Shadepelt standing beside her. "Why don't you find Whiteheart and go out for a last hunt?" she continued.

Birchpaw nodded, clearly delighted as she nuzzled her mother's cheek with affection. The eldery black queen stared after her for a few heartbeats before turning away to go back to the nursery.

Birchpaw found her mentor chatting with Goldeneye, a pretty gray warrior in a patch of sunlight. She dipped her head in greeting Goldeneye, who acknowledged who with a wave of her tail.

"Would you like to go hunting?" she asked the big white tom. She waited impatiently for his answer, her tail twitching back and forth.

"Of course." He rumbled. He meowed a goodbye to Goldeneye before the two of them set off towards the camp entrance.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the ledge for a Clan meeting!"

Birchpaw strolled out into the clearing as she heard the familiar words called out by their leader, Brightstar.

She had groomed her fur specially for the ceremony and now her snowy white pelt sparkled and her black stripes shone.

She glanced at Darkpaw who walked straight and proud beside her. He looked handsomer than ever.

Quietly she settled down beneath the ledge and stared up at Brightstar expectantly.

"I Brightstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commened them to you as warriors in their turn."

She turned her splotched white head to look them both squarely in the eyes. "Darkpaw, Birchpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend you Clan, even at the cost of your own life?"

The two siblings lifted their heads and let out a clear reply, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Darkpaw, from this moment you will be known as Darkheart. StarClan honours your courage and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." She turned her broad head to Birchpaw and let out another meow. "Birchpaw, from this moment you will be known as Birchtail. StarClan honours you courage and compassion, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

"Darkheart! Birchtail!" her Clanmates called, their voices rising in pride. Birchtail turned away shyly, her pelt bristling in embarrassment.

Brightstar waited till the noise died down until she continued. "Birchtail, Darkheart, Nightfur and Whiteheart will take out the dawn patrol." Then she leapt down from the ledge and padded away to talk to Firestorm.

Birchtail cleared away some of the snow in the middle of the clearing and settled down to hold her vigil. Darkheart sat down beside her, his head raised towards the stars. Birchtail blinked fondly at him; however much she disliked him he was _still_ her brother and she would die to protect him.


End file.
